"CHILDREN OF MEN" (2006)

THECHILDREN OF MEN

screenplay

by

/ Alfonso cuaron

&

Timothy J. sexton

OVERBLACK,.a news report:

Men and women standing,looking up. Sad and hopeless. Their middle-aged facesbathed in the pale light of the television they are silentlywatching.

A man enters thecoffee shop, making his way through the people: THEO FARON (55). Detached, unkempt, scruffy beard, glasses, Theo is a veteranof hopelessness. He gave up before the worlddid.

Theo wedges hisway to the counter. He orders:

Next to him, a SO-year-oldwoman stares up at the TV, cradling a small dog,tears rolling down her face. Theo waits, glancing atthe old plasma TV without much interest.

ON TV: The face of "Baby"DIEGO (18), the most famous boy in the world, a fair-hairedteenager who has never lacked anything, smiling a practicedsmile.

ON TV: Stock footageof Diego's life. His baby portrait.•. video footage of Diego learningto walk •••Diego (8), at his first communion •••Diego (14),ambushed by paparazzi•..

Theo's coffee arrives. He laysexact change on the counter, and starts to make his way out. Passingthrough the crowd. Other people crying. TwO grizzledPOLICEMEN sip coffee, watching the news.

Theo leaves the cafe.

Theo walks out with his coffee, facingthe day. People walking along quietly, bundled up. Some with dogs. It's cold. It's wet. It's sad. It'sLondon.

SUPER: LONDON,2024 A.D.

A short distance from the cafe, Theo setshis coffee cup atop a post box. Slow traffic rolls past. Mostly "old" cars, '08 models, some older. A couple of '18's. Motorized rickshaws scoot around the edges. A double deckerbus passes with metal mesh on the windows. Bicycles.

A billboard, showing a stern-faced leaderflanked by the idealized profiles soldiers and policemen: "KEEPING ENGLAND ALIVE". Surveillance cameras on lampposts and building sides with tiny disclaimers: "For YourProtection."

Theo takes out a flask from his pocket,unscrews the top, about to pour it into his coffee, when behindhim --

KA-BOOM! A BOMB EXPLODESinside the cafe,blowing out the windows, rocking the ground.

Theo reels with the blast, knocked off balance••.

Smoke pours through the shattered facade ofthe cafe. Wails of PAIN, as people stagger out, covered in residue,holding their wounds, bleeding. A woman missing anarm.

Theo regains his balance, shell-shocked, holdinghis ears.

TITLE:"THE CHILDREN OF MEN"

FADE IN:

Througha train window covered by steel mesh, a billboard passingby: "GIVE HUMANITY A HAND- GET A FERTILITY TEST"

Theorubs his ringing ears, watching the desolategreen landscape.

POCK! POCK! Projectiles smack against side ofthe train, the steel mesh protecting the windows. Theo looks:

A gang is hurling rocks and bottles. 20-year-oldmales, some with painted faces -- these are ZEDS. The youngest generation on earth, nothing to lose, it all endswith them.

After throwing their load, the Zeds recede, disappearing behind a billboard: "IS YOURNEIGHBOR A TERRORIST? REPORT ALL SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY."

VOICE FuckingZeds. Hurl a few rocks, crawl back into their cracks.

Theo looks back to the train. Two middle-agedCOPS face him on the opposite seat, commuting home after a longday.

Cop 2 fumbles with something in his hand: a stripof pills.

cop 2 popsone of the pills into his mouth.

Theo looksout the window. Graffiti on a wall: "LAST PERSON TO DIE PLEASE TURNOFF THE LIGHTS".

Theo stepsoff the train. Policemen patrol the platform, some withGerman Shepherds. He looks around, spotting an older man acrossthe way. He walks toward him.

JASPER PALMERwas young in the 60's, and has refused to let go of his youthever since. Thick glasses, wispy beard, long hair, he isprobably the coolest 75-year-old on the planet.

The two old friendsgreet each other warmly.

Abandoned fieldswith ruined farms, exhausted barns that look like scarecrows.

A car crosses, its headlightscutting through the darkening blue, passing machineryrusting on the fallow land. A Volvo sedan, circa 2009,not mint but still reliable.

Jasperwatching his mirrors, navigating the sparse road. Theo inthe front seat, massaging his ears.

A beat.

Theo smiles. The headlights illuminate a woodedarea.

The Volvo slows down, and makes a left turn,going off the road, stopping in front the woods.

Jasper and Theo get out. Jasper walks to themiddle of the empty road, looking both ways.

Assured the coast is clear, Jasper walks toward arow of bushes in front of the trees, illuminated by theheadlights.

Theo walking with Jasper toward the bushes.

Jasper removes one of thebushes -- it's not rooted.

Theo removes another bush. This is a false hedge, hiding a tiny dirt path behind it.

Jasper stops Theo.

Jasper playfully hits Theo.

Through the woods, Jasper's car crossingthe dirt path, the headlights on.

Jasper navigates the dirt path carefully.

Through the windshield,in a clearing in the trees, visible in the last lightof day: a low-tech, jury-rigged eco-house, complete with primitivesolar panels and a grass roof.

The Stones' "Ruby Tuesday"plays. JANICE (70) sits in a chair, staring ahead. She was young in the 60's, and now is old. The light is gone fromher eyes, her face a blank mask.

Jasper kisses her. Janice does not react.

Jasper motions Theo over.

No response from Janice. She is staring at a wall of photos. Her lifetime frozen in images. A shrine to her past.

Jasper and Theo at the kitchentable, eating vegetable soup.

Jasper eats a spoonful of soup, looking at Theo.

Theo ponders a potato.

Theyboth eat a spoonful of soup.

A make-shiftaffair, grow lights coaxing mariJuana plants into bloom. Theo and Jasper chill, Jasper rolling a joint.

Jasper firesa joint.

Theoshakes his head.

Jasper takes another hit.

Theo nods.

The two men smile and fall quiet.

Janice still staring at the wall. Theo comes to her. He takes the hair brush she is holding. And begins brushing her long gray hair.

Among the photos on the wall, one takenat a demonstration catches Theo's attention: a youngerJanice and Jasper, locking arms with Theo, defiant and long-haired,and a young woman with the same attitude. Theocarries a 2-year-old boy in a baby backpack. A placard for "GlobalDemocracy" can be read behind them.

Through a window, we see identical functionalapartment buildings on a foggy morning. Nextto the window: an old plasma wide-screen TV displays thetime.

A digit changes -- 8:30. The TV turnson.

ON TV: A woman reads the morning news. war torn streets. Militia's marching. Citizens watching fearfullyout their windows. A SO-year-old soldier in fatiguesand beret, a Dixie flag flying behind, gives a speechto a crowd in front of the ruined facade of Camden Yards.

Reflected in the window: CLICK! a light on a sidetable goes on. A form gets up slowly, sitting up on abed •••it's Theo, shaking out the cobwebs, his head foggierthan London.

seven people, men and women, standingwith their hands up against a brick wall. POlice dogs growland sniff at their heels. Policemen linger behind them.

Theo walks past. He's dressed forthe day in a worn tweed jacket, a leather pack strapped overhis shoulder.

Theo enters a gate fringed with barbedwire.

Not the grand halls of oxford, rather,a cluster of one- storey concrete buildings, circa 2000.

A security machine swallows his leather caseas Theo stands with his arms spread, a Guard frisking him.

Theo, somewhat animated, draws two "V" cones ona black board, the tips touching each other.

Theo faces the sizeable lectureroom, three quarters empty. Students stare back at him blankly. People in sleeping bags in back. A man snores inthe frontrow, his pants wet, the urine dripping to the floor.

SIRENS, screaming frompolice cars, racing by, disappearing into the distance.

Theo walks on the sidewalk. A billboard, soothing graphics, blue on blue: uQUIETUS-- you can find relief."

The sidewalk strewnwith trash, lethargic breeze. A young couple, embracing,kissing in the open.

Theo walks by, leathercase over his shoulder. He's holding a book, reading ashe walks: "Salem's Lot" by Stephen King.

The young couplebreaks their embrace. They begin to follow Theo from behind. He does not notice, reading about a boy who got himself lockedinside a vampire's room.

The couple follows,pulling ski masks over their heads.

As Theo approachesthe corner, a van appears on the street, skidding to a stop,blocking his path. He slows down .••

A motorcyclecomes from behind, skidding to a stop, blocking his street side. Theo pauses, confused --

The ski maskedcouple upon him, he pulling out a burlap sack, she pullingout a pistol.

And the vandoor slides open, showing a masked man holding a semi-automaticgun.

Theo reacts,backing away --

The woman sticksthe gun into his ribs, whispering an order:

The burlap sackcomes over Theo's head. She shoves him throughthe van door.

The motorcyclerevs, ready to go. The man hops on behind.

The woman jumpsinto the van, the door slides shut.

The motorcycie peels off in one direction.

The van tears off the other way.

Blackness.

The burlap sack comes off. Newspapers gluedon the walls, covering them over. Theo is cuffed to achair. A light shines in his face. A Tall Man in a maskholding it.

Theo nods, cotton-mouth.

The Tall Man gestures. A Short Man (PATRIC) goes behindTheo and begins unfastening the cuffs. Another hoodedman gives him a glass of water.

A woman in a mask approaches, walking with a limp.

Theo reacts, taken aback. The woman sits down,facing him.

The woman takes the mask off. JULIAN TAYLORis Theo's age, and although life has taken a hardertoll on her, she still radiates the beauty of someone who believes. A scar runs along the side of her face.

Theo is stunned. He recovers with asmirk.

She smiles.

Julian locks eyes with Theo.

Though Julian addresses thehalf dozen people in the room, her eyes on Theo. They arethe only two without hoods. He checks his coat.

CONTINUED: (2 )

Julian and Theo looking at each other,reliving this moment.

They smile, looking at each other. A moment.

CONTINUED:{3 )

They're in some sort of basement room withno windows. Theo sips his flask. Julian smokes a cigarette.

Theo looks at Julianwith tenderness.

Julian stubs out her cigarette.

Julian looks at Theo.

CONTINUED: (2 )

This lands withTheo. Julian knows it -- she expected it.

Off Theo, knowingthat she hasn't.

Theo in back facingthe rear, blindfolded. PATRIC (25) drives -- Irish, dreadlocks,committed. Facing Theo is LUKE (45)-- moral authority,practiced compassion, unwavering certainty.

Silence. The two men remembering London.

Theo remains quiet.

Luke pulls on his ski mask. The van slowsdown. Patric pulls on his mask.

Theo pulls off his blindfold, blinkingwith the sudden light. Luke hands him a piece of paper and acoin.

The van stops. The door slides opens.

Theo steps out of the van at a bus stop. A billboard shows a young couple tenderly holding a creaturewhich looks impossibly similar to a baby. A doll. A slogan: "LOVE IS WHAT YOUGIVE." In smaller print: "Now withbody temperature and breathing motion."

The door slides shut as the van drivesoff, leaving Theo in the midst of a dozen lingering prostitutes,oblivious to the security canierasrigged on the bus stop,a few tiny pooches tapping around.

A double-decker with steel meshedwindows coming down the street.

A Rolls Royce passing through aheavily guarded restricted gate, leading into the pristineLondon Mall.

A uniformed chauffeur drives, Theo in back, now dressedin a worn-out suit, looking out the window:

On the London Mall, well-dressed citizens ontheir afternoon outing, some walking their dogs, which are dressedin matching outfits. Some dressed in chaps, ridinghorses. The privileged minority. A restricted zone.

SOUTHWARK BRIDGE CHECKPOINT

The chauffeur stops at a security gate atthe entrance to the Southwark bridge. He hands papers to a SecurityOfficer. Guards check under the car with mirrors. Dogs sniff for bombs. They are waved through.

Coming over the bridge: an imposing brickstructure, its square tower dominating the gloomy sky:the modern Tate Museum.

The Rolls Royce parks, a security guardopening the door. Theo gets out. Dogs sniff at him, surveillancecameras training over. A government officialcomes to meet him, extending his hand, smiling. Theomumbles something. The official explodes with a forced laugh.

Theo crosses through a body scanner. A screen outlines his skeleton and solid objects, zipper,coins, his flask.

The Official leads Theo through ahall hung with paintings, arriving at a door, leaving him there,walking away. Theo enters.•.

Theo is awed. In the middle ofthe marble hall, under the soft glow of a skylight dome, standingalone, in its perfection, inviting, Michelangelo'sDavid. The real thing.

Theo is drawn to the sculpture--

WOOF!Two Irish Mastiffs layingon the floor in front of the David. Theo doesn't speak dog,but knows that means stop. Deep growls, the Mastiffs situp.

From behind the David, a man appears,THEODORE "Teddy" PHILLIPS. Around Theo's age,but looking younger, Teddy is dressed in T-shirt and jeans. The fragile enthusiasm of someone who found an externalreason to hold on.

Teddy approaches Theo.

Teddy and Theo embrace.

An endless corridor, hungwith masterpieces on both walls. Teddy throws a tennisball down the corridor, the Mastiffs chase after it, shrinkingin the distance.

Teddy and Theo carrydrinks. Rembrandt's self-portraits age as they pass.

He stops in frontof Rembrandt's final self-portrait.

Theo looksat the portrait.

An oldRembrandt looks down at them.

Planesdrop bombs on civilians. Black and white cubist mayhem. Theo and Teddy stand in front of Picasso's "Guernica". The real thing. The Mastiffs sit nearby.

Teddy looks at Theo -- silently acknowledginghis friend's rough time.

Teddy smiles, gives Theo a friendlypat.

Theo and Teddy hang, drinking a bottleof 2004 Chateau Margeaux, looking down on London. The Thames flows by, St. Paul's shows off, the day preparesto end. Quiet.

Teddy opens a small silver case. He takes outa pill, offering it to Theo, who shakes his head, staringat him.

Teddy pops the pill, washing it down withwine.

ON THE SCREEN: "A Hard Day's Night". The fourlads escaping from a hoard of fans •••

Theo pushes through a thick red curtain,entering the mostly empty theatre. He walks down the aisle. He takes a seat.

ON THE SCREEN: An empty treeless park,the lads frolicking gleefully, falling all over each other. Goofy abandon.

A VOICE behind Theo:

VOICE Don't turn around. Do you have it?

Theo takes an envelope from his pocket, reachingit back --

VOICE Please put it under the seat.

Theo puts the envelope under the seat. The man behind him takes it. It's Luke.

Theo standsto leave.

ON THE SCREEN: Thelads' fun comes to an abrupt end whenthey areconfronted by a stern COP.

RINGO & PAUL (in themovie) Sorry, sorry••.

Rolling cloudsacross a glorious blue sky, touched with colors of a gentlyfading sun, a glimpse of heaven. You almost don'tnotice the pixels.

Profiles of faceslying down on soft pads, staring at the clouds projectedon the ceiling. Mostly older men andwomen, some middle-agers,and a few in their youth. Soothingmusic suffusesthe ambience, and a gentle female voice:

VOICE Forgiveness. Experience forgiveness. Dwell in forgiveness. Forgiveness towards thosewho purposely caused you pain. Forgiveness. Forgiveness towards those who unwittinglycaused you pain. Forgiveness. Forgiveness towards yourself. Forgiveness. Forgiveness. Dwell in forgiveness.

Theparticipants rest on the floor, as if entering a gentle sleep. They are dying.

It'speaceful. It's inviting. It's Quietus.

Attendants dressed in white gently administer toeach participant. Holding them. Offering each acup to drink from. After they have drunk, they are laid gentlyback down.

ABOVE- BEHINDTHE GLASS

A few dozen people arrayed on the bleacher seats. Some are there to observe loved ones make their finalpassage. Others are justlooking for a warm place to sleep.

Theo arrives, harried -- he has rushed to getthere. He looksaround the vast bleacher section, and finds:

Jasper standing by the glass, looking below.Theo approaches.

Theo stands next to him.

Though the window, they see:

BELOW - ON THE MAIN FLOOR

An Attendant approaches Janice. Her face isnot the blank mask of before -- her eyes are moist withprofound awareness of the end.

The Attendant holds up the cup. Janicereaches her hand towards it, shaking. The Attendant steadiesher hand her hand around it. Janice drinks.

VOICE Gratitude. Immerse yourself in gratitude. Gratitude. Gratitude for those who brought you joy. Gratitude. Gratitude for those who brought you pain. Gratitude. Gratitude for your unique journey. Gratitude. Gratitude. Dwell in gratitude.

Janice's grip slips from the cup. Her entire body relaxes. The Attendant gently lays her down onthe soft pad.

ABOVE- BEHIND THE GLASS

Jasper and Theo, watching.

Through the glass, behind them,a disturbance: An Old Man resists the cup offered to him,knocking it away. The lights on the main floor cut out.

The lights go up on themain floor, everything returned to its state of peace. TheOld Man lays completely still.

CONTINUED:( 2 )

Jasper looks down at Janice.

BELOW - ON THE MAIN FLOOR

Janice stares up at the clouds rollingacross the ceiling.

VOICE There is a light. Experience the light. Dwell in the light. Repose in the light. The light is soothing. The light is comforting. The light is love. It's a light that shines forever.

Theo waiting on a plastic couch inthe simple white room. People at the counter, picking up paperbags that resemble sacks of flour.

Jasper returns from the counter, holdinga brown sack. Theo stands to meet him.

Outside, the street is quiet. Theoand Jasper walk. Jasper, stoic, is holding Janice's bag of ashes. Suddenly --

Jasper breaks down. Crying. All of his 75 years now revealed, all at once an oldman.

ON TV: A couple walking througha beautiful park, carrying a baby. Slow motion sentimentality.

ON TV: A closer look at thebaby: beautiful eyes, beautiful smile, smooth skin. But it's stilla doll.

Theo sitting in the bar, half-watchingthe TV, already drunk.

Two men sit on either side of him:Patric and Luke.

Theo staring toward nothing. The two men looking at him in expectation. Finally:

Luke slides a small paper acrossto Theo.

Theo looks at the small paper:a TICKET to football match.

Luke and Patric start to leave.

The men are gone. Theotakes a long gulp from his pint, and returns his attentionto the TV.

ON TV, a surveillancecamera image: A man walking alone down a remote narrow streetilluminated by lights overhead. From the darkness oneither side••• a gang of Zeds emerge.

The Zeds swarm overthe man, who disappears under their onslaught. A moment later, the Zeds retreat back to the darkness. One Zed left behind, staggering, holding a wound.

The woundedZed falls to his knees, beside the man who lays motionlesson the sidewalk, naked, picked clean.

FADEOUT.

The chantof English football•••

FADE IN:

KICK! A cleated foot propels the ball into the air. Men fighttheir way to it. We're well into a hard-foughtEnglish footballmatch. Players smeared in sweat andmud.

Theo in his seat, watching the match, drinkinga beer, hair of the dog. The stadium half filled, lethargic fans,some facespainted, some holding little dogs. The sections securedby barbed-wire fences, security camerasand policemen everywhere.

Theo searches around. An older man sits nextto him. A middle-aged man on his other side. Bothwatching the game.

A Woman stands, blocking his view, her righthand a fist that opens and shows: the "5 Fishes" logo drawnon her palm. The hand closes, as she walks away.

Theo stands and follows her.

The woman walksthrough a tunnel, exiting the stadium. She's 40, andhates football.

Theo follows. On the wall, a billboard: "REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY."

Thecrowd roars a goal as the woman crosses the concrete plain. Theo follows, a few yards behind.

The woman walks to a bus stop with a billboard: "KEEPING ENGLAND ALIVE - FERTILITY TESTS - YOUROBLIGATION." A double- deckerabout to leave. As the bus starts to move, she gets on.

Theo runs, catching up to the rear of the bus, jumpingon through the back door.

Theo has just climbed inside, and he's out ofbreath. The woman is going up the stairs. Theo follows.

Theo emerges on the upper deck. The woman sitsat the front. An overhead security camera keeping vigil. He sits down heavily in the first seat he sees.

The double-decker rolls though a suburbanarea, the outskirts of London. Very few people. Shuttered stores. Abandoned homes.

A billboard: "KEEPING ENGLAND ALIVE - DENOUNCEILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS - IT'S YOURCOUNTRY".

Through the _metalmeshed windows, the suburbsroll past. The woman sits in front, staring ahead.

Theo in his seat, trying not to doze off.

The woman gets up. As she walks down thestairs, the briefest eye contact -- it springsTheo up to his feet.

As the bus as rolls away, the woman walksacross the street.

Theo stands at the empty bus stop,looking at her. She stands on the other side, lookingaway. Theo waits. A few dogs sniffing around.

A billboard showing a smilingwoman looking at the sky at a two-tone pill called "BLISS" The slogan: "JUST BE HAPPY." In smaller letters: "Now at kiosks".

RRRRRI The roar of an approachingmotor •••

A motorcycle, appearing fromdown the street, skids to a stop in front of the woman. She hopson the back. RRRRR! The motorcycle tears away.

Leaving Theo alone. Confused. The motorcycle roar receding.

A FIAT MULTIPLApassenger wagon comes around the corner, heading toward Theo. It stopsin front of him. The back door is opened.

Theo looks inside: Luke atthe wheel, Julian beside him. Two other women in the back seat.

Theo climbs in. As thedoor closes, the Multipla starts off.

The Multipla pullingaway. Theo accommodating himself, glancing at thewoman seated beside him, in the middle seat.

Theo and Kee lockeyes.

Kee looks away. Theo looks around the car.

Theo senses the tension in thecar -- everyone is nervous.

Theo makes himself comfortableagainst the door and closes his eyes, dozing.

The roads of Canterbury arecurvy, running through woods and small hills. The Multipla cruisesalong.

A hand reaches over, nudgingTheo awake.

Theo's eyes open.

Julian smiles. Theo looks outthe window at the wooded hills passing by, getting his bearings.

Kee laughs at the smallTV flipped down from the ceiling.

ON TV: 70-year-old Mr.Bean kisses his teddy bear good-night.

Silence. Kee looks toJulian.

CONTINUED: ( 2 )

Blank stares.

Miriam spots something out the window.

Through the windshield, up ahead: a BURNINGCAR comes rolling down a small hill, toward the road they'retravelling on.

Luke accelerates, the Multipla responds grudgingly.

CONTINUED:( 3 )

The Multipla picks up speed. The burningcar careening down toward the road, but it looks likethey may beat it•••

Luke slams the breaks, screechingto a stop, just avoiding --

ROAD

The flaming car cuts them off -- SMASH!-- crashing into a derelict car.

INSIDE THE MULTIPLA

Tense silence. The road is now blockedby the flaming car.

They hear WARCRIES.

EMERGING FROMTHE TREES

ZEDS. A gang of 20ish males, facespainted, some masked, armed with stones, sticks and knives. A tribe of hunters descending down toward the road,in a wave, running at them

INSIDE THE MULTIPLA

CRACK! The first stone hitsthe window.

Instead, Luke throws the car intoreverse, screeching the car backwards. The Zeds upon them,running down the car. CRACK! Sticks and fists pounding, bodiespiling on •••

Luke keeps pedal to metal, screamingin reverse, the last Zeds dropping off, giving chase,but can't catch up .••

ROAD

A lone MOTORCYCLE comes frombehind the burning car, two riders in masks, racing throughthe running Zeds, accelerating, towards theMultipla, coming closer.••

INSIDE THE MULTIPLA

Luke can't go any fasterbackwards, the motorcycle catches up, running alongsidethem. The Zed on back looks in the car, his eyesvisible for an instant through his black mask.

Luke accelerates,and the motorcycle drops back, riding now in front ofthe car.

Theo sees the Zedon back of the motorcycle rise up -- he's aiming a high-poweredRIFLE at them --

BANG! Thebullet crashes through the windshield --

Julian joltswith the impact, blood spraying. The passengers screamingin terror and disbelief:

Miriam uses her body to protect Kee. Theo is reachingover the seat,coming to Julian. She's been hit in theneck, she'sbleeding badly. Her eyes are open, alive,barely.

ROAD

The motorcycle accelerates again, comingback alongside them.

INSIDE THE MULTIPLA

Theo sees the motorcycle approach, the Zed onback, pointing the gun at him, about to shoot.

Abruptly, Theo throws open his door --

ROAD

WHACK! Theo's car door hitsthe motorcycle. The driver trying to keep balance, buthe's going too fast•••

The motorcycle careens and spills,throwing the gunman into the grass, the driver bouncingacross the pavement, leaving lots of skin behind.

INSIDE THE MULTIPLA

Luke slows the car just enoughto execute a turn, spinning a 180, heading away fromthe ambush, finally driving forward.

Theo holds her throatwound with both hands, trying to dam the blood with his fingers.

Julian reaches towardher throat, grabbing one of Theo's hands. She squeezesthe hand. Holding it tightly.

Miriam rubs herpalms together, laying healing hands onto Julian's head. Holding them there.

Theo still holdingJulian's wound and her hand. Miriam's hands on her. Julian is dead. The car is silent. Then --

Approaching fromthe distance, they hear SIRENS.

It's a policecaravan, two squad cars and a tactical van, coming fromthe opposite direction•••

Luke plays itcool, maintaining his speed, as the caravan heads righttoward them •..

The Policecaravan flies past them, headed for the sceneof the ambush. There's a moment of relief. Until:

In Luke's rear-view mirror: one ofthe police vehicles breaks from the caravan, turning around,coming back toward them.

Sirens screaming, the police car following,getting closer. Luke keeps driving.

The Policemen are right ontheir tail. There's no choice. Luke eases the car to a stop.

ROAD

The police car skids to a stopbehind the Multipla. Immediately, two Policemenare out of their cars, approaching, guns drawn, screaming:

IN THE MULTIPLA

Luke watches the two Policemenapproach.

Miriam opens her door,Theo opens his, starting to get out.

ROAD

Luke steps out his door,one hand raised in the air.

Luke pulls his otherhand from the car --

BANG! Luke's otherhand is holding a gun, and he's shot Cop 1 through the heart. Before Cop 2 can react, Luke swivels --

BANG! Luke gets off another shot, takingdown Cop 2. Cop 2 fires off a shot

BANG! Luke finishes cop 2.

The echo of gunfire dissipates. Theo standingthere, taking it in, The two cops lay bleeding onthe ground. Silence.

Theo stays there, confused. Luke levels the gun at Theo.

Luke pointing the gun at Theo,who does not back down. He appears ready to finish withTheo -- and Miriam can tell.

Theo gets in the car. Lukegives the gun to Miriam.

Luke driving away. All business,taking control.

Miriam reaches forward, coveringher hand over Julian's eyes. Theo looks at his bloodyhands.

Theo holding Julian's bodyby the arms and torso, dragging her uphill through thewoods, Miriam helping with the feet.

They lay Julian's bodybetween the trees. Miriam kneels beside her, praying a simplemantra. Using her palms to gently cover her eyes,her ears, her nose •••

Theo looks at Julian,then turns away, anguished at the sight of her violent death. Trying to catch his breath. And the whole thing sinks in,the pain welling, overcoming him.

Theo turns toMiriam. She has tears in her eyes.

Theo looks at Julianone more ti.me.

Theo looks atMiriam, shakes his head, incredulous. Kee is waiting down thehill, next to the Multipla.

HONK! HONK! An old vauxhaul sedanparking on the roadside.

The empty, battered Multipla rollingdownhill, picking up speed, flying off the road over a steepembankment --

CRASH! The Multipla smashes into thedense woods below. Disappearing into the foliage,metal crashing earth.

Theo, Luke, Miriam and Kee stand onthe road next to the old English vauxhaul, circa 2008. Theopissed off, looking like hell, his shirt stained with Julian'sblood.

English rain -- steady, cold, bone-moistening. In the car, silence. Miriam looking forward. The remnants of tears on Kee's face.

Theo sits in front, the wipersscraping shadows across his exhausted face. He's numb, staringat the black night ahead of him.

Luke puts on the turn signal. Getting off the main road.

The Vauxhaul struggling up a muddy ruttedroad.

Luke honks three times. Throughthe windshield, the headlights illuminate an old farmhouse. We see two men walk outside the door. One of themholding a rifle.

The Vauxhaul parks in frontof the stone farm house. Luke turns the car off. The twomen come to meet them.

Theo standing in front ofthe mirror after his shower. The bathroom is small, dank,uncared for. Theo wipes the mist off the mirror, seeing himself. Reflected in the mirror, he sees something on thewall behind him. He turns:

AN OLD PHOTO. A weatheredportrait from 30 years back, taken in front of the same farmhouse: a man, a woman••. and their 5 children. All 5 kidshanging on a tire swing hung from a large tree. A document froma world now gone.

Theo walking out of thebathroom wearing a fresh shirt. Tom is seated ip.a chair,waiting, holding his rifle.

Beyond, throughthe door, Luke is gathered with 6 people we haven't seenbefore.

Tom hands him abottle of whiskey. Theo accepts it with a smile -- the sadsmile of someone aware of his condition.

Theo heads forthe door.

Tom pointsto the coat rack.

The rainhas stopped. Theo, wearing a coat, standing outside the farmhouse, taking the first sip from the bottle. Tom pullingon his coat as he catches up, holding his rifle.

Theooffers him the bottle. Tom shakes his head.

Theotakes another swallow.

Theonotices the old tree.

A frayed rope dangles from a thick branch, movingwith the breeze. A faint smile on Tom's face, a memory.

From a short distance, Miriam shouts to Theo:

Theo gives a nod to Tom, then starts walkingtoward Miriam.

TOl'I I'msorry about what happened there.

Theo comes through the wooden door.

Miriam closes the door. Theo is inside theold stone barn, housing 40 cows and industrial milking equipment.

Theo turns: towardthe end of the barn, Kee stands behind one of the cows.

Theo startswalking toward her.

Theo looksat her.

Theo shakinghis head, not wanting to remember.

This landshard.

CONTINUED: ( 2 )

Theo feelsthe shackles.

Julian's words resonate.

Theo makes to leave.

Kee begins to unbutton the front of herdress.

The dress slips from her shoulder. She covers her breasts shyly. She is behind the cow, herchest bare. She is shivering. She looks at Theo.

Theo wants no part of this.

Kee steps from behind the cow. Her arm covering her swollen breasts, her hand covering herpanties.

CONTINUED: ( 3 )

Theo is frozen. The sightof her naked form. The curve of her hip. Her hair danglingover her shoulders. She's staring straight intohis eyes.

Three million possibilitiescross his mind in an instant, but there is only onetruth.

Kee is pregnant.

Instinctively, Theoextends his hand, walking toward her swollen belly. Kee allows it.

Theo gently restshis hand on her belly. Impossibly stretched skin,holding new life.

The door opens

Luke entersthe barn, followed by Ian and Miriam.

Kee immediatelyretreats, going behind the cow, covering herself up.

Miriam stepsforward.

Theo,Miriam and Kee walking to the farm house, Ian followsa few stepsbehind.

so.

ON TV: slow.motion, the Multipla coming in theopposite direction, the windshield blasted out. The imageis blurry, but Luke, Theo and Julian are recognizable.

PHOTOSON TV: Julian and Luke's police mug shots. Theo's King'sCollege ID.

The TV goesoff. Luke stands up.

He addressesan assembly of the 5 Fishes convened inthe musty living roam on sofas and chairs. Theo standsat the edge. He's allowed to observe, but he cannotvote.

Kee squeezes Miriam's hand -- Miriam responds:

Theo's uninvited opinion draws glares from aroundthe room.

CONTINUED: (2 )

Luke addressesthe others.

Thisis Luke's moment -- he seizes it.

CONTINUED:(3)

Tom nods. The Fishes are solemn.

The Fishes look to Luke, unified they have found their new leader.

The farm is quiet. One light burnsin the living room. Tom keeping guard at the door.

One Fish asleep in the single bed,another in the top bunk bed, snoring. Theo lays in the lowerbunk, wide awake, reeling, trying to make sense of allthat has happened.

He hears: the HUMof a small motorin the distance, getting closer. The·n3 tinny honks.

Theo creeps out of bed, paddingover to the window. Outside:

A small motorcycle coming unsteadilyup the rutted mud road. The driver is barely holding adangling body, hardly able to keep the motorcycle upright.

The motorcycle arrives at the frontdoor. Tom steps forward.

Inunediately,Luke comes out thedoor, accompanied by Ian, followed by two other Fishes. Luke gives an order: one Fish is sent back inside. Then twoFishes grab the unconscious man, carrying him towardthe barn.

Theo hears FOOTSTEPS. Somebodycoming up the stairs. Theo moves quickly back to bed,making like he's asleep.

The door opens. Tom walksin. He gives a shove to the Fish sleeping in the single bed.

The sleeping Fish stirs.

Tom's legs cross in frontof Theo, as he shakes the Fish in the upper bunk.

Both Fishes climbout of their beds. They follow Tom out, closing the door.

As soon as theyleave, Theo opens his eyes. He gets out of bed, goesto the window, and sees:

Luke, Ianand the motorcycle driver are walking toward the house. Luke isclearly agitated.

Theo goesto the door and opens it: the hallway is empty. Tom and theothers walking down the stairs. As soon as they disappear,Theo follows. He has no shoes.

Theo comingdown the stairs. He sees: Luke and Ian walking in the house. He recognizes the motorcycle driver:

It's Patric. Cut, bloody, clothes torn, soaked to the bone.

Ian addresses Fish 1 and Fish 2,who have just come from bed.

The Fishes head off.

Tom disappears straightawayinto the bathroom. Luke, Patric, and Ian go to the kitchen. And close the door.

Theo walks down the stairs,heading toward the back door.

Tom walks from bathroomwith an armful of medicines and supplies. No place to go,Theo leans back against he wall, waiting for Tom to pass. Tom leaves by the front door. Theo quietly walks to theback.

Theo comes out theback door •••SQUISH! Theo's expression his socks are soaked inthe cold mud. He sloshes quietly alongside the farm house,no coat, shivering in the cold. He reaches kitchenwindow and sees:

Luke pacing, Patricin a chair, Ian leaning on the table.

Theohas seen enough. He steps away from thewindow, sloshingback along the side of the house. Hearingthe last fragmentof conversation.

Theo is at the door of another room. Checkingto make sure it's all clear, he enters:

Miriam sits up in bead.

Kee awakening --

Theo looking out the sidedoor. There's a row of six cars parked in front of him. Two Fishes standing nearby. Activity in the barn.

He steps out thedoor •••SQUISH! Theo's expression -- he forgot to get his shoes. He continues, moving quietly to the car in front ofhim. He opens the door •.•

INSIDE THE 1ST CAR

Through thewindshield, Theo sees the Fishes up ahead. He reaches down tothe hood release -- POOK! The hood pops open. The Fishesdo not hear it.

OUTSIDETHE 1ST CAR

Theo squatting,sneaking around to the front of the car. Lifting thehood quietly. Reaching in •••YANKING OUT the distributorcap. He gently lets the hood down.

INSIDE THE 2ND CAR

Theo repeatingthe operation. POOK! He opens the hood. He's aboutto get out, when:

Fish 2 returns fromthe barn, heading directly to the car, his hands andcoat bloody. Theo hunches on the car floor.

Fish 2 reachesinto the car, just above Theo's head, feeling for: a packof cigarettes on the dash.

Fish 2 snagsthe cigarettes, walking away.

Hearing Fish2 leave, Theo reaches over to the hood release switch --POOKI

Theo entersthe side door. Kee and Miriam wait just inside.

Day aboutto break. It's dark, and the clouds arebloody red.

Theopeers out the side door: two Fishes are standingnear the front,trying to stay alert, trying to staywarm.

Theoleads Kee and Miriam to the vauxhaul, the firstcar parkedin the row. Quietly opens the back door forKee. She slipsinto the back, while Miriam slips into the frontdoor. Theyclose the doors without shutting them.

INSIDE THE VAUXHAUL

Theoslips into the front seat, gently closing hisdoor. Throughthe windshield: the Fishes have not noticed.

Thekey is in the ignition. Theo turns it -- HA-RUMPH! After the first spark, the engine dies.

Throughthe windshield: 2 nearby Fishes REACTto the sputter.

Theo tries again -- HA-RUMPH! Nothing.

Through the windshield: the Fishes startwalking to the car.

Theo releases the brake and pushes inthe clutch -- the car starts rolling slowly down the steepmuddy road. In the direction of the approaching Fishes.

Miriam and Kee and Theo pull their doorsshut. Miriam hits a switch FWICKI The car doors lock.

TOP OF DRIVEWAY

The vauxhaul picking up a little speed,bouncing down the steep rutted road, heading right at theFishes.

Theo checks the speedometer: 5 mph.

MIDDLEOF DRIVEWAY

Fish5 stands in the muddy track, holdingup his gun, pointing it at the oncoming car.

Thecar still coming. Fish 5 about to shoot•..

HOUSE

Lukesteps out of the door

60 •

MIDDLEOF DRIVEWAY

Fish 5 looks confused, the car stillcoming at them. He lowers his gun. He and Fish 6 try stoppingthe car with their hands, but the weight and momentum ofthe car surpasses their strength. They have to step aside.

More Fishes come running from the barn. Patric tearing out of the house.

MIDDLEOF DRIVEWAY

Fish 5 and 6 chase down the slowmoving car, grabbing the doors, but they're locked. Fish 5 stickshis hand through the half open window, trying topull the car to a stop..•

INSIDE VAUXHAUL

Kee punches the intruding hand,trying to break its grip, but Fish 5 hangs on •••

TOP OF DRIVEWAY

More Fishes join the chase. So doesPatric, running down the muddy road after the car •••

Two other Fishes head for therow of parked cars.

INSIDE VAUXHAUL

Kee bites the hand trying topull back the car. Fish 5 yelps, releasing his grip, allowingthe car to gain momentum. Fish 6 slips down in themud.

TOP OF DRIVEWAY

Fish 2 steps·from the car.

INSIDE VAUXHAUL

Theo turns: they now have some distancefrom their pursuers. He checks the speedometer -- 10 mph.

Theo shifts into 2nd gear, releasesthe clutch -- HA-RUMPH! The car shudders, but doesn't start. He tries it again -- HA- RUMPHI No success. And now thecar is almost stopped.

Kee looks out the back window:the Fishes are gaining.

Theo lets out the clutch,allowing the car to start rolling down the hill.

TBl!lO (begging the car) Go, go, go, go, go ••••

The Fishes getting closer. Patric is coming full speed, running faster than the rest.

TOP OF DRIVEWAY

At the row of cars, two Fishespush a 2nd car into motion. As it picks up speed, bothFishes jump in, the momentum carrying them downhill•••

INSIDE VAUXHAUL

They approach the end of themuddy track, one big ditch, right before it intersectsthe paved road.

Speedometer: 9 mph.

Theo shifts into 2nd gear,about to release the clutch, when he turns to see:

Patric has caught up, runningeven with back bumper, gaining.

MIDDLEOF DRIVEWAY

The 2nd car coming downhillpicks up speed.

INSIDE VAUXHAUL

Theo can't afford to slowdown, letting the car keep rolling.

Patric catching up, keepingpace, locating Theo, raising a pistol.

PAi'RIC (shoutingI Got a shot! Got a clean shot!

Theo in disbelief, Patric running alongside,about to shoot him at close range, when Kee kicks openher door --

FWAKl Kee's door hits Patric's back,tripping him up, sending him tumbling, bouncing hard acrossthe mud and rocks.

The car headed right for the ditch --

BOTTOM OF DRIVEWAY

The car crashes into the ditch, throwingup mud --

INSIDE VAUXHAUL

Theo, Kee and Miriam bouncewith the impact•••

PAVEDROAD

The momentum carries the carthrough the ditch, flying up onto the paved road, where itbounces to a complete stop.

INSIDE VAUXHAUL

Theo looks back at Kee.

BOTTOM OF DRIVEWAY

The Fishes still running down towardthem. The 2nd car is coming fast,_right at theirFishes' backs•••

PAVEDROAD

Theo jumps out of theVauxhual.

Miriam slides over to thedriver's seat.

Theo runs to the backof his car. He's wearing only socks. He starts pushing. As the car starts picking up a little speed--

HA-RUMPH! Miriam releasesthe clutch. Stopping the car.

Theo looks back:

BOTTOM OF DRIVEWAY

The Fishes part,making way for the fast coming 2nd car. Fish 2 doesn't getthe message, still in front of the car.

Too late. The2nd car runs down Fish 2, just as it SMASHES into the ditch,the momentum carrying it to:

PAVEDROAD

The 2nd carbounces to a stop. Not 30 yards from Theo.

DOWN THE PAVEDROAD

Theo is pushingfor all he's worth. His soclcsare bloody. The carpicking up speed. He turns to see:

The Fisheshave jumped out of the 2nd car, running toward them, catchingup •••

The carshudders, the reluctant engine hesitating a moment, before-- VA-ROOM! The engine finally roars to life.

The carnow is pulling away from Theo. He turns: theFishes are gaining. One pulls out a gun, aiming•..

Miriamstops the car, 10 yards ahead, Theo gasping, tryingto make it,Kee looking from the back window.

Behind them, more Fishes havereached the paved road, joining the chase. Theo reaches thecar, the door opens from inside.

INSIDE VAUXHAUL

Theo jumps in.

Miriam shifts it into gear,the car lurching forward. Through the back window,we see the Fishes receding. Behind them, the sun cracks the horizon,rising.

Theo about to vomit,out of shape, out of air -- on the verge of complete collapse.

Theo still gaspingair into his lungs, looks at Kee.

The vauxhaul pulling off a smallroad near some woods.

Theo gets out of the car. He walksto the middle of the road, making sure nobody is there. Then he goes to the false hedge by the trees. Lifting thebushes, moving them away •..

The car crossing the narrow dirt trackin the woods.

Through the windshield, we are approachinga house rigged with make-shift solar panels. Jasper'shouse.

The car parks in front, next to Jasper'scar. Theo climbs out. He goes to the front door andknocks.

Theo opens the door.

Theo walks into the house.

The house is a mess. Glasses and dirty plates,books left strewn around. He walks into:

JASPERS STUDIO

From behind: Jasper on the sofa, his handdangling lifelessly off the armr'est•.•a bottle of pills spilledon the floor.

On Theo's face, hesitantly approaching aroundthe couch .•.

Jasper lays in peaceful repose, his long hair partially obscuring his face. The sack containing Janice"sashes on his lap, open, his other hand clutching some ofthe ashes.

Theo lets out a painful sigh. He leans to hisold friend. Pushing the hair away from Jasper's face, when --

Jasper opens his eyes.

Theo reacts --

The two men share a look --they nearly scared each other to death. A hint of Jasper'sold mischief flashes in his face.

But it fades away, and Jasperbreaks down, sobbing. Theo leans down and hugs his old friend.

Theo holding Jasper. Kee andMiriam entering the room.

Theo swivels Jasper around. Jasperlooking at Kee -- disbelief, recognition••• awe.

Theo's wretched feet soaking in abucket of water. Jasper at the stove, frying eggs.

Jasper looks at Kee, her feet proppedup, munching biscuits.

Jasper delivers Kee a plateful of eggs.

All eyes on Theo.

Jasperconsiders this.

Jasperlooks at Kee.

The oldman is young again.

Miriamnear the woods, doing Thai Chi exercises.

INT, JASPER'S LIVING ROOM DAY

Theo watchesMiriam through the window, opening his flask. Kee is laidout comfortably on the couch, her exposed belly proppedon a pillow. A fire blazing in the chimney.

Theo sips from his flask.

Theo observes Miriam -- standing onone foot, the other hovering in the air, trying to keep herbalance.

Theo turns: Kee•s beautiful belly, litsoftly by the firelight. He's about to sip his flask,but stops.

Silence. The fire crackling.

CONTINUED:( 2 )

Theo smiles.

Theo doesn't know, still holding his flask, notdrinking.

Through the window: Jasper walks out of the greenhouse,a smallbackpack around his shoulder.

From outside,they hear: "Huh! Huh! Huh!" Miriam exhaling loudly,a breathing exercise.

CONTINUED: ( 3 )

Kee breaks into a big smile, hermood now bright.

Theo considers a drink. Then closeshis flask. Jasper walks in the door.

EXT, HILL DAY

Jasper with the backpack, leading thegroup up the hill through the woods, his house behindthem. They are bundled in coats against the cold, Kee in acloak that hides her pregnant belly. Theo stops.

A cold steel jagged-tooth barbedwire fencecuts across the woods: "MILITARY ZONE, POSITIVELY NO TRESPASSING,"

Jasper searches the fence.

Jasper locates the spot: a cut in fence.

Jasper pulls back the barbed wire.

Theo steps through -- RIP! His pant legtears.

The light is fading. The group walking acrossa long clearing, nearing the end. Kee moving steadilywith Theo's help. Miriam has a fist full of wild flowers.

Theois wearing an old pair of boots.

They arriveat the end of the clearing, at the woods. Then, in the silence WOOF!

OTHERSIDE OF THE CLEARING

A GERMAN SHEPHERD howls thecall for the hunt. Three more German Shepherds·come running fromthe woods, now running together in a pack. Runningtoward the group.

END OF THE CLEARING

The group starts running towardthe wooded area ahead.

MIDDLEOF THE CLEARING

The pack of dogs closing the gap.

IN THE TREES

The group keeps running. Miriam is in front, Theo at Kee's side, helping her. Jasper lookingover his shoulder.

END OF THE CLEARING

The pack of dogs entering the trees.

IN THE TREES

Jasper stops.

Theo stops.

Jasper tosses him the backpack.

Theo hesitating.

Miriam nearing the top of the hill,calling back:

Theo starts running again, holdingonto Kee.

Kee looks back. Jasper standing alonein the woods.

Kee smiles, Theo pulling her along. Miriam has reached the top of the hill.

IN THE TREES

WOOF!WOOF! The pack of dogs running throughthe woods, drunk on their hunting instinct.••

FURTHER AHEAD

Jasper picks up a branch. Gets his grip. Holds his ground.

Watching the pack of dogs charging•••

ON TOP OF THE HILL

Theo and Kee have made it to the top. He turnsto see, barely visible at a distance, mostly obscuredby trees:

IN THE TREES

The first dog leaps at Jasper. He swings his branch, hitting the dog backwards.

Immediately, the otherthree dogs attack, the victorious frenzy of the pack bringingdown its prey.

ON TOP OF THE HILL

Theo blocks Kee's view ofthis, leading her to the other side of the hill. Ahead of them,Miriam is nearing the road. They run to catch up.

Theo and Kee catch up toMiriam on the side of the road, as

An IMMIGRATION POLICE HUMl7EEappearsfrom around the curve, bearing down, headlights shiningon them.

The SPOTLIGHTturns on, glaring onthem •••

They start running back to the woods. The Humvee stops. A BORDER COP climbs out, pointing his gun.

The group is lit by the spotlight, justshort of the woods.

Theo stops with Kee, Miriam still running.

Miriam finally stops, the three of them standingstill. Waiting. Panting. The rumbling of the Humvee engine.

And the foot~teps of the Border Cop as he stepsthrough the grass, approaching them, pointing his gun •••

They raise their hands, Theo holding up Jasper'sbackpack.

A beat.

The Border Cop advances, his gun point blank inTheo's face.

The Border Cop cracks a big smile.

The Humvee parked on the side of the road.

JERRY -- pimply border cop, 30 -- sitsbeside him. He pulls a brick of marijuana out of the backpackand hands it to Syd. Theo, Kee and Miriam sit in back,behind metal meshing.

Kee MOANS with sudden pain. She shootsa look of alarm at Miriam.

Miriam takes Kee's hand, reassuring.

At a distance, we see a BUS approaching.

Syd opens the door.

CONTINUED: (2 )

Through the window, a bus approachesdown the road.

Syd gets out of the Humvee,raising his arms to stop the bus.

INSIDE THE BACKOF THE HUMVEE --

Theo looks at Kee with concern.

Syd opens their door.

Theo slides out of the Humvee, helpingKee down, Miriam following. Walking to the "IMMIGRATIONCONTROL" bus -- an old school bus, painted over, the windowscovered with bars.

The driver is inside, an armed guard nextto him. A steel cage behind the driver.

Theo, Kee and Miriam step on:

78 •

The steel cage door opens. Theo, Kee and Miriam step in. The cage door closes behindthem. They start making their way down the aisle, looking fora seat.

Forlorn, malnourished, desperate,trapped faces of captured refugees stare back atthem.

The bus lurches, driving forward. Kee moans with the sudden jolt. Theo steadies her. Miriam finds an empty seat.

They help Kee into a seat,Miriam sitting by the window, Theo sits across the aisle. Through the window, he sees: Syd and his Humvee, recedingbehind them.

Theo feels a yank on his shirt. He turns: it's a withered old COUPLE, filthy, pitiful,hungry. The Old Woman puts her fingers to her mouth, the universalplea for food, speaking in a language Theo cannot understand,probably German.

Theo shrugs. He has nothingto offer.

The bus travelling along road. Thelights of the city ahead.

Kee reacts to a shooting pain.

Other refugees turn. Theo realizes they'redrawing attention.

Theo looks o~tside: the bus stops at a Check Point illuminatedwith spotlights. One bus already aheadof them.

water drips down her leg, forming a tiny puddle on the floor.

Kee reactsto the beginning of a new contraction.

Our bus isparked behind another bus. The Check Point is wired offwith a major steel fence, trimmed with razor wire.

From the bus in front,Police violently yank off three refugees,vicious dogs barking at them.

Kee breathing througha contraction.

Theo looks to see: the Police pushing the three refugees, forcing them to theirknees. The three refugees pleading.

Dogs barking1 One of the Police hits a refugeewith a rifle butt. The man collapses. Another Police kicksthe refugee.

The overhead lamps turn ON, shining harsh light. Kee is still breathing through her contraction.

TwO Policeman enter our bus. The 1st Policeman isholding a dog, walking slowly down the aisle, checkingthe facesof refugees. A 2nd Policeman follows.

Some refugees react Kee's labored breathing, lookingback at her. Theo and Miriam share a look of concern.

The 1st Policeman glares at a Refugee, who avertshis face.

The 1st Policeman pulls the Refugee up by hishair.

The 1st Policeman keeps walking. The 2nd Policemanvanks the Refugee out of his seat, dragging by his hair tothe-front of the bus, pushing him off. The Refugee is shoved intothe groupof kneeling refugees.

Inthe bus, the dog starts barking. Theo, Miriam andKee tense, as the dog drags the 1st Policeman forward. The dog isin now front of Kee, barking at her, smelling somethingit hasnever smelled before.

The 1stPoliceman looks at Kee: she is breathing hard, clutchingthe tube of the seat in front of her, lookingat the floor,in the middle of a contraction.

Miriam is frozen. The dog barking. The Policemanyanks Kee up byher hair, twisting her face toward him.

CONTINUED:( 2 )

Kee'scontorted face, her eyes wide, wet, terrified.

The Policeman turns to Theo.

Theo points to the floor. The Policeman seesthe puddle.

The Policeman yanks the leash, but the dog keepsbarking at Kee, not wanting to move.

The Policeman walks past, heading off thebus. Miriam looks at Theo with relief.

The bus rumbles to life, lurching forward,heading through a steel fenced corridor•••

Out the window, we see the corridor, fencedin steel, reinforced with razor wire, hopeless faceslooking through the gaps •••The BEXHILL FENCE.

The bus is parked. Refugees pile out,guard dogs barking at their heels. Theo and Miriam helpingKee down.

It's a chaos.of people. Guards wield nightsticks, herding the group to the final gate.

Approaching the threshold, Theo sees asign framing the gate: "ACCEPTANCE IS ENDURANCE".

Theo, Kee and Miriam emerge fromthe gate, looking around, disoriented, lost.

This is Bexhill. What used to bean industrial port town is now a sealed-off refugee camp, barelylit by occasional street lamps with uneven current.

Kee suddenly stops, doublingup -- a new contraction. The flow of refugees keeps pushingbehind them, pushing them forward, Kee stopping pain

Miriam holding Kee for support.

A man walking p~st, lookingat them curiously. Pale skin, knit cap, hook nose.

Theo sees: the statue of asoldier.

Theo heads to the statue, aWWI soldier holding a bayonet rifle, charging. The plaquereads: "Lost Generation." Theo walks around the pedestal.

YAP! YAP! A tiny runt dognips at his heels, scaring the hell out of him.

Theo turns to see a woman: MARICHKA. Olive skin, 40, the exhausted eyes of someonewho accepts the hardship of life as fate. She knows when toduck.

83 •

Theo helps Kee intoa motorized rickshaw, Miriam already sitting in back. Marichka sits in front, wrapped in a old wool coat, the dogon her lap.

Miriam looks back anxiously. Theo turns and sees the Hook- Nosed man walkingtowards them.

Marichka revs the rickshawinto motion. Through the back window: the Hook-Nosedman runs after them, but he can't catch the acceleratingrickshaw. He recedes behind them.

The rickshaw crosses throughthe dark streets. Small, jury- rigged plastic tents around the sidewalks. People warming their hands around scatteredpiles of burning rubbish watching suspiciously at thepassing rickshaw.

Kee coming out of a painfulcontraction, Theo and Miriam supporting her on either side. Kee looks at Miriam.

The rickshaw parks in frontof a building, trash piled around the street. Marichka gets off,leading them into a doorway. The sounds of dogs howling andarguing in the night.

The dog hopping up the stairs,Marichka next, holding a butane lantern, leading them up thedark stairwell. Kee stops suddenly, holding herself againstthe wall, in pain.

Marichka starts prattling to them in alanguage they cannot understand, possibly Romanian

The contraction passes. Kee nods. Theo andMiriam help her up the stairs.

The door opens. The little dog scampers inside,uses a chair as a springboard, leaps onto the table, andthrough the broken window yaps his presence to the dogsbarking outside.

Theo and Miriam help Kee into the room. Marichka sets the butane lamp on the table. The room is naked,peeling walls, broken window panes, a rough mat on the floor. Cold enough to see your breath.

Miriam immediately pulls the mat to the centerof the room. Kee doubles up with another contraction

Marichka trying to explain something they cannotunderstand, pointing at 2 BUCKETS of water, the dog yappingand yapping.

Miriam plucks a shard of glass from the brokenwindow. Theo goesto Marichka, turning her toward the door.

Kee holdsherself on the table, moaning with the pain. Miriam dips the glass shard into the bucket -- breakinga thin layerof ice covering the water, cleaning the shard.

Marichkaturns, pointing at Kee, agitated, prattlingon. Miriam givesTheo the glass shard.

Marichka isoutside the door, taking out a candle.

The little dog getshis final yap in, jumps off the table, joining his master. Miriam helps Kee down onto .themat.

Kee kneels onto themat with Miriam's help.

Marichka lighting thecandle, still talking as she starts down the stairswith Santo. Theo closes the door.

Theo looks at her, confused.

Theo takes the flask fromhis pocket.

Still pinching the shard ofglass, Theo unscrews the flask top. Miriam holds out herhands.

Theo pours the alcohol onMiriam's bands. Kee moans in pain.

Miriam dipping her hands into thebucket of water.

Theo pulls off his coat, unbuttoninghis shirt, still pinching the shard of glass. He handsMiriam his shirt.

CONTINUED: (2 )

Theo takes a quick, small drink from his flask. Then pours the rest of the alcohol over his handsand the glass shard.

Miriam goes to Kee, who is laying onthe mat, clutching, grabbing -- agony.

Miriam kneels by Kee•s legs, pushing awayher dress, putting Theo's shirt under her. seeing:

Theo finishes cleaning his hands in thebucket.

Theo obeys, clumsy -- he has no ideawhat to do.

Kee screaming, in the throes••.

Theo takes her hands, but Kee writhes, pullingthem away.

Theo takes Kee's hands more forcefully.

BB.

CONTINUED:( 3 )

Kee pushes --her hot breath visible in the cold room.

Kee pusheswith all her might.

Kee clutchesTheo's hands harder -- although we can see her breath, she iscovered in sweat.

Kee pushes -- herbreath visible.

Kee pushes -- a roundobject appears, emerging from blood, the vagina expanding•••

Miriam witnesses this,utterly amazed •••

Kee screams -- excruciatingpain -- fear.

CONTINUED: ( 4 )

Kee pushes -- the head impossibly stretching openthe vagina, comingthrough•••

Theoholding onto Kee, blown away.

Kee looksup at Theo, her face wet with sweat andtears, a littlereassured.

Miriam watches: the baby's blue head emerges completely•••

Kee pushing-- the rest of the baby's body flowingout in a streamof blood, Miriam supporting the emergingmass •••

Kee pushingmightily, Theo barely able to hold her hands--

Kee screamingher extraordinary effort, tapping the reservoir of femalestrength, giving her body over to the new life comingthrough it, to life itself, the miracle --

-- the babybursts forth, a bloody explosion of life••.

Miriampulling it free, still hooked by the umbilical cord, the placenta spillingout in a final bloody exclamation

There is amoment, a pause. Theo holding Kee. Both of them looking toMiriam.

CONTINUED:( 5 )

'

For the first time in eighteen years, fourmonths, two days, sixteen hours and eight minutes, a human childhas been born. Miriam holds the newborn baby, all blue,covered in white specks, giving off steam in the cold room.

Theo lays Kee back down on the mat. Moving to Miriam.

Theo takes the glass shard off the scarf.

Theo hesitates with the glass shard.

Theo puts the glass against theumbilical cord and SLICES. The cord splits, spurting a bitof blood.

CONTINUED: (6)

•

Miriam yanks off one of her bracelets, givesit to Theo.

Theo ties off the umbilical cord with the stringbracelet.

Theo takes the shirt from under Kee and handsit to Miriam. She cleans the white, cheese-like residue fromthe baby. Theo watches, freaked out.

Theo opens the scarf. Miriam expertly wraps thebaby in it.

Miriamoffers the wrapped baby to Kee. Theo returnsto his spot,supporting Kee from behind. Kee accepts herchild, holdingher, smiles.

The babyCRIES, a strident, rhythmic scream that shattersthe night. Theo looks at Miriam, alarmed.

Kee putsthe baby to her breast. Instinctively, the child suckles,extracting the milk hungrily. Kee watches, amazed.

A dim light shining from a window. Inside,Theo, Miriam and Kee -- beholding this new life. Surroundedby the black night. It's silent. Even the dogs havestopped barking.

The sound of distant HELICOPTERS••• sporadicGUNSHOTS••• blending with the sound of YAPPING, comingcloser•.•

FADE IN:

Theo opens his eyes, waking up on the floor,his coat pulled over him, getting his bearings:

The first morning sun finding its way intothe naked room. Kee still sleeping on the mat, the baby ather chest. Miriam seated next to Kee, asleep.

YAP! YAP! The tiny barking sound is now outsidethe door. Footsteps following. Theo creakily getsto his feet.

There's a PUSH on the door but a chairis wedged against the handle inside, keeping it shut. A decisive knocking on the door, the YAPPINGgrowing frantic•••

Kee and Miriam open their eyes, awakening.

VOICE (outsidethe door) Open the door!

Kee and Miriam look to Theo.

VOICE (outside) we don't have much time -- open the bloody door!

A harder push on the door-- the chair slides,about to give.

Miriam wraps the cloak aroundKee, hiding the baby. More pushing on the door, thechair sliding •••

In the distance, a staccatoburst of gunfire is heard.

Theo takes away the chair,cracks the door. He peers into the hall: a man standsthere, wearing nondescript clothes and a turban -- it takesmoment to recognize Syd. Marichka behind him, Santo jumping,trying to get in the room.

Syd has already pushedthrough the door. Miriam holds Kee tighter. Santo is now runningaround inside, yelping. Marichka follows. Theoimmediately closes the door.

Syd looks at the residuefrom the night before: the bloody mat, the bloody clothing•••

Santo is on the scent,sniffing at Kee, yelping.

CONTINUED: (2 )

Santo keeps yapping at Kee.

Santo won't leave. Kee kickshim. Santo yelps, retreating. Marichka starts yelling atKee in some language. Then --

CRYING. From the baby. Rhythmic, loud.

The dog comes charging again•••

Kee kicks the dog again.

Marichka grabs her dog. Thebaby stillcrying loudly. Kee puts the baby to her breast. The baby calms, suckling.

Santo still yapping in Marichka's arms. Marichka gives Santo a little slap, shutting the dog up. Quiet -- except for the moist suckling of the baby.

Miriam eases.the cloak from Kee's shoulder. Revealing the BABY, suckling at Kee's breast.

Marichka approaches. Kneeling, seeing thebaby, amazed.

CONTINUED: (3)

Syd starts pacing.

Marichka reaches her finger. She looks to Kee, who nods her permission. Marichkatouches the baby. Her face lights up, her eyes well with tears she has touched a miracle.

Theo moves to the mat. With her shawl, Miriam finishes securing the baby toKee's breast. Outside, another burst of gunfire, closer. Together,they gently help Kee up.

Marichka turns to Syd,talking at him, prattling on, adamant.

Marichka turns to Theo,Miriam and Kee, prattling on, urgent.

Syd pulls out a two-way radio.

CONTINUED: ( 4 )

Marichka insists, grabbinq Syd's sleeve, prattlingon --

Syd throws Marichka off.

Syd pulls out a gun. Marichka instinctivelyducks to the floor, covering her head, her handspleading.

The group is frozen.

Miriam walks to the door, blocking it.

A standoff. In the distance,mob shouts are heard.

BANG! Syd shoots Miriam in the head. She falls in the doorway, dead.

CONTINUED: ( 5 )

Ree lets out a wailof horror, her knees buckling. Theo holds her. Marichka still cowering.

BANG! Syd shootsthe floor by Santo's feet. The dogyelps, scampering forMarichka's protection. Kee glares at Syd.

Syd pointshis gun at Theo's forehead.

Seeing noway out, Theo looks at Kee.

GOINGDOWN THE STAIRS -

Marichkaleads them, Theo carries Kee in his arms, Syd followingwith his gun. Marichka still prattling on.

Marichka is ranting even louder, Santo yapping.

The grouparrives at the ground floor. Theo lets Kee down, both restingon a cold radiator, catching their breath, Marichkanext to them.

Syd holdsthe gun on the them as the goes to entrance to investigate. The entrance has no doors, Marichka's rickshaw visibleon the street outside.

Theowatches Syd, still pointing the gun behind him,but his attentionwavering to the street in front.

Theo makes l).ismove,charging across the lobby. .Syd hears him coming,turns•••

Theo FALLS OVERa rusted pipe that saves his life --

BANG! Syd's shot just misses Theo's head.

Theo'sfall carries him into Syd's legs, knocking him backwards. Syd's head bangs the floor, the radio flying.

CONTINUED:( 2 )

Kee gets it. She clutches Marichka for support,pointing to the front door. Marichka gets it, helpingKee to the door.

SMASH! An personnel carrier rollsup, crushing Marichka's rickshaw. Marichka stops, reversesherself, helping Kee back across the lobby, passing Theo crawlingtoward Syd.

Syd, coming out of his daze, tryingto point his gun, but Theo reaches, grabbing his gun hand.

Marichka helping Kee into a CORRIDORat the end of the lobby.

Theo on top of Syd, strugglingwith his hand, Syd biting Theo•s head.

Theo's hand forcing the gunaway, pressuring the trigger -- BANG! BANG! BANG! The gun firesinto the wall, plaster falling, until it the chamberCLICKS. CLICK. CLICK. Empty.

From the corridor, Marichkaand Kee look back, reacting to the gunshots.

Theo pushes Syd away, startingafter the women. Syd grabs Theo's legs, tripping him, sendinghim thudding on the floor, the gun sliding away.

Syd jumps on Theo, punchinghis face. He puts his hands around Theo's throat, squeezing. Theo gasping, reaching, Syd strangling him.

From the corridor, Kee urgesMarichka back to help.

Kee against the wall, looseningthe scarf, checking her baby. Marichka reluctantly headingback to the lobby, staying low, her hands defensive, prattlingurgently, pleading to Syd.

Syd keeps tightening his griparound Theo's neck. Theo's body going slack.

Marichka gets closer, stillpleading.

CONTINUED: (3 )

Theo's hand reaches to the gun on the floor, grabbingthe barrel, round-housing it -- SMACK! into Syd's face. Syd falls backwards, stunned.

Theo pushes himself to his feet, gasping airback into this lungs. Syd recovering, moving toward Theo. Theo kicks Syd in the head. Syd falls backwards, knockedout. Theo, for good measure, kicks Syd in the gut.

Theo grabs Marichka, gasping, motioning forthem to leave. They head down the corridor, joining Kee.

They reach a door at the end. It's blockedwith boxes and junk. Theo and Marichka clearing the debris,Theo forcing the door open, just enough space to pass. Behind them:

LOBBY

Syd groggily crawls to his knees, lookingfor the gun.

END OF CORRIDOR

Marichka snakes through the narrowdoor passage, out to a small alley, Santo following. It'sKee•s turn, but there's not enough space for her to passwith the baby.

From the alley, Marichka extends herhands.

Kee hesitates, Theo pulling the dooropen. Behind them:

THROUGH THE CORRIDOR

Syd finds the gun.

END OF CORRIDOR

Kee passes the baby through thedoorway, fearing the worse, Marichka takes the baby. The pointof no return. A moment. Marichka motions for Kee to follow.

Kee squeezes through the opening. Theo still holding the door, looking back:

DOWN THE CORRIDOR

Syd stumbling toward them, gun inhand, loading bullets.

END OF CORRIDOR

Theo trying to squeeze out, but nobody is helpingwith the door --

BANG! Syd's shot misses, leaving a hole inthe metal door. Theo throws his body into the door, forcingit open

BANG! BANG! Shots ripping the door as Theo squeezesthrough.

Theo comes out the door into the trash-strewnalley. Kee and Marichka waiting, Kee wrapping the scarf,covering the baby to her chest.

They start making their way slowlydown the alley, Marichka holding Kee up. Theo is about to follow,when he hears:

Theo realizes Syd is too close. They aren't going to make it. He looks around, rooting throughthe trash, desperate. Worthless plastic, rotting food,a rusted CLOTHESIRON.

Syd's face appears at thedoor. They look at each other for an instant. Syd furiously forcinghis way through

Theo grabs the clothes iron andswings

CRANK! Into Syd's face. Syd fallsback inside the door.

Theo stands, staring at thedoor, the iron poised, ready. But he quickly understands there'sno need to wait.

Theo drops the iron, and rushesafter the women.

102 •

AT THE END OF THE ALLEY-

Kee leaning against the wall, gathering her strength, Marichka peering around the edge of the building.

Theo arrives, completely winded. "La Marseilles"can be heard, chanted by an approaching mob.

Ithurts. I'm hungry.

Marichka prattles some sort of answer. Theoputs his fingers to his mouth, the universal sign of hunger.

Marichka nods, getting it, pointing. Theoand Marichka take on either side of Kee, helping herwalk, Santo following. They round the corner onto the street. Pocked and rubbled, the streets of Bexhill bear scars of previousviolence.

A mob marches toward them, more than 50,a large flag billows, blue, white and red.

Theo and Kee and Marichka passing themob in the opposite direction. Passionate chanting, some wearingmasks, all carry guns -- modern semi-automatics, a few oldGlocks.

This street seems quiet, "La Marseilles"now distant. Marichka, gestures, leading them into abureaucratic building covered with graffiti. Further down thestreet, on building tops, men with rifles run from roof toroof.

Theo, Kee and the baby, Marichka and Santoenter. Dozens of old shoes on the floor, neatly paired. They hear CHANTING -- rhythmic prayers.

It was once a bank, but now justthe skeletonremains, a few teller counters, some bars alongthe lobby. Through them:

Men kneel on a carpeted floor, bowingtoward Mecca in humble prayer. This is a makeshift mosque.

They pass by, moving to the stairsat the end of the hall.

2ND FLOORCORRIDOR

At the end of the dark corridor,Marichka is bent down at a metal door, talking to someonethrough a low eye-slit. A tiny flashlight shines throughthe slit into her face. A trembly voice on the other sideof the door, in Russian:

At the stairs, foggy lightoozes though the filthy windows. Kee rests on Theo, discerningMarichka across the dark corridor, now waving forthem to come, insisting, prattling. Theo helps Kee into the darkcorridor.

As they approach the securemetal door, the flashlight from the eye slit shines inTheo's face.

Marichka grabs Kee's cloak. The light shifts to Kee•s face as she resists, but thecloak opens. The light tilts down, shining on the baby, eyesclosed, feeding on Kee's breast.

From the eye-slit, the flashlightshaking, a gasp.

A pale, withered GEORGIANWOMAN (87) hums a folk song as she carves the final touchesonto an orange that she's cut into a swan. She presentsthe swan to Kee, who lays in bed eating some sort of potatostew, the baby asleep at her side.

They're in a simpledwelling that was once a bureaucrat's office. One table,two chairs, a gas burner, photos, a Chagal reproductionof the cow on the farm. And, in the clean, big windows,a few potted plants, green, living.

Theo sits at the table, eating stew. Marichka stands nearby, wolfing hers -- she hasn't eaten thisgood in awhile. The ancient, dignified GEORGIAN MAN(90's) sits in a wheelchair, speaking in a trembly voice withthick accent.

The Georgian Man asks Marichkaa question in her language. Marichka answers by rubbingher thumb to her fingers, the universal sign for money.

The Georgian Man wheels himselftoward the bookshelf. Marichka looks at Theo,rubbing her thumb to her fingers.

The Georgian Man arrivesat the bookshelf, where pantheon of busts reside: Lenin, Freud,Einstein, Ghandi, Trotsky, Zapata, and Martin LutherKing, Jr. He selects Lenin.

Seeing the owners distracted,Marichka nabs a silver spoon from the table and sneaksit into her shirt. An amplified voice echoes from the street.

VOICE (OFF) A curfew is now in effect.

Theo looks:

105 •

THROUGH THE WINDOW

A caravanof armored personal carriers and tanks move slowly down the emptystreets.

VOICE (over loudspeaker) Anyone seenon the streets will.be considered hostileand shot. England supports you andprovides you shelter. Do not supportterrorists. ·

Then thesame message, translated into French. On topof the buildingacross the street, men in masks armedwith rifles run inthe opposite direction of the tanks.

IN THE APARTMENT

RUFF! Santobarks. HISS! The cat arches. Kee laughs.

TheGeorgian Man rolls back in his wheelchairto the table, holdingthe bust of Lenin.

The remains of the smile on the old man's lipsas he looks to hiswife, telling her something in Russian. Then:

Marichka nods, laughs, pretending like sheunderstands.

The Georgian Man BREAKSLenin's bust on thetable. In the porcelain shards: a roll of money. Englishpounds.

106 •

Marichka standsin the middle of the street, her senses alert. Sporadicgunfire and shouting in the distance, but the street seemssafe. She signals, and starts trotting.

Theo immediatelypushes Kee from the bank in the Georgian Man's wheelchair. Kee has the baby wrapped against her chest and covered. She's holding the orange cut like a swan.

The group inthe middle of a street obscured in fog, Theo pushingKee in the wheelchair, trying to keep up with Marichka'squick trot, Santo tapping along.

A RUMBLING inthe street. Santo stops, turns around, and starts barking.

The groundbegins to shake. They all turn: the street behind them shroudedin fog. Street poles shaking. A mechanical clacking addsto the rumbling, drowning out Santo's barks.

Through the fog ••• asilhouetteslowlytaking form ••• mammoth.•

The silhouettedefines itself as the fog gives way .•.

A TANK. Solid,massive, scary. And it's damn close, coming right onthem.

Theo pushesKee, the group running away from the tank. Marichkalooks back:

Santo holdshis ground, barking at the metal monster. Marichkaturns, running back for her dog.

The tank gettingbigger, Santo loses his courage, whimpering, backing off•••

Marichka grabsthe dog. She turns, finding her stride, running backtowards the others, trying to catch up ..•

DOWN BAY STREET

Theo and Kee come against:a long metal pole wedged in a sewer, fortifiedby a big mountain of broken concrete and debris blockingthe street -- a barricade.

Theoturns the wheelchair, veering off towards:

A NARROWALLEY

As soonas Theo and Kee take refuge

Theyturn: a man with a machine gun is yelling atthem. They aresurrounded by other men -- some masked, allof them armed --more guns than the previous mobs.

Marichka makes it to the alley, chastising Santo--

Marichka sizes the situation, and immediatelydrops to the ground.

BAY STREET

The tank rolls by, followed by two ArmoredPersonnel Carriers. A metallic CREAK! The tank runsup against the metal barricade pole that holds its ground.

A moment. Silence. Just the idling ofthe tank motor.

NARROW ALLEY

The Basque men lay in wait.

BAY STREET

A change of gear -- CREAK! The tankpushes against the barricade pole. The two metal armswrestling, the tank confident, but the barricade polewill not back down.

NARROW ALLEY

The Basque Man signals --

The Basque men surge toward the street.

ACROSSTHE STREET

More men surgeforward, dragging over the carcass of a burned out car,blocking the way. A flaming bottle hurled from a buildingexplodes against the tank. The ambush is on.

NARROWALLEY

Theo getsto his feet.

Theorolls Kee forward, the baby secure against her chest, followingMarichka. Behind them, through the alley:

BAYSTREET

Thecarrier doors fly open, soldiers streaming out, screaming,shooting•••

The fogsoon obscures the battle, but not the sound of carnage.

KNOCK!KNOCK! Marichka's hand pounds a weathered door. An eye-slitopens. A man with an extremely pale face,matted hairand wispy whiskers stares out -- the SEWERRAT.

The Sewer Rat assesses Theo and Kee as Marichka prattlesin her language, negotiating. She reaches into her shirt, pulling out the bills that used to be live inLenin's head, waving them.

3 armoredcarriers cruise by, disappearing into the fog.

The coast clear, the Sewer Rat leads Theo and Kee and Marichka onto the street.

VOICE Don'tmove! Don't move!

Theo recognizes a man crossing toward them. The Hook-Nosed Man. Coming at them, pointing a gun. Marichka immediately drops into her submissive position, the Sewer Rat raiseshis hands. The Hook-Nosed Man whistles -- shrill,distinctive.

Three masked, armed men come running toward the group. One talking into a radio.

VOICE Wharf Street! Now!

The armed men surround them. The leadertakes his mask off. It's Patric. He looks at Theo -- THUD! Patric rifle butts Theo in the gut, knocking him to the ground.

Two Fishes holding guns on Kee, Marichkaand the Sewer Rat.

A dozen heavily armed men come runningfrom different directions, converging on Theo, Kee andMarichka and the Sewer Rat. Among them, Luke and Ian. Luke approaches Kee.

One Fish takes Kee•s wheelchair,another Fish flanking, hustling her away. Luke looksat Theo, Marichka and the Sewer Rat.

Luke follows Kee and the Fishes. Patric cocks his pistol. Marichka still on her knees,outstretching her hands •••

Patric points the gun atTheo

BAM! BAM! Shots ring out.

DOWN WHARF STREET

An armored carrier rolls toward them, two soldiersshooting from the turret.

UP WHARF STREET

Patric retrains his pistol at the soldiers-- BAM! BAM! He open fires. The other Fishes follow suit,a fierce burst of gunfire that forces the armored carrierto stop.

Luke and Patric run to catch up withKee.

DOWN WHARF STREET

Soldiers climb out of the armored carrier,firing rounds.

UP WHARF STREET

Ian flanked by two men, holding positionfrom behind a doorway. Two other Fishes take a spotacross the street. Firing all they've got at the carrier.

Theo scrambles away from the lineof fire.

NEARTHE CORNER

Theo ducks into a doorwaywith Marichka, clutching Santo, the Sewer Rat following. Theowatches:

FURTHER AHEAD

Luke and his men pushing Kee,rounding the CORNER onto 3rd STREET, escaping the lineof fire.

DOWN WHARF STREET

The street trembles, thepoles shaking. The armored carrier pulls to the side•..

Allowing a TANKto passby.

Shielding a group of soldiers,firing on Ian and his men.

UP WHARF STREET

The heavy barrage forces Ianand his men to retreat. Two Fishes make it to the corner.

Ianand the ~ther two are flushed into open, crossingthe streettowards the corner --

TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT. Soldier's gunfire cuts down twoof the Fishes. Ian keeps running, swarming bullets smashing concrete. He makes it to the corner. Behind him:

DOWN 3RD STREET

Luke and the other Fishes fleeing.

WHARF STREET DOORWAY

Theo watching Kee being rolled away. He turnsto the Sewer Rat and Marichka, who is crouched in a protectiveposition.

Theo looks to his left:

THE CORNER

Ian holding the position with two men,shooting, unable to stop the advancing tank.

The two men peel off after Luke. Ian firesa few more rounds, then follows.

WHARF STREET DOORWAY

Theo looks to his right:

DOWN WHARF STREET

The tank advancing, the soldiersmarching, holding fire, their weapons trained on the corner, focused.

WHARF STREET DOORWAY

Theo sucks it up, gathering his courage. He storms out.

WHARF STREET

Theo screaminghis way into the open.

DOWN WHARF STREET

The soldiers,their focus on the corner broken by the screamingman, are caught off guard, a double-takebefore reacting,firing away.

WHARF STREET

Theo screaming his way across, bullets ricochet andcrash, making it to:

CORNER

Theo shields himself against the wall, catching hisbreath. He looks towards:

3RD STREET

Ianand his men chase after Luke and the Fishes fleeingwith Kee.

CORNER

Theo sucks a breath, and runs after them.

3RD STREET

Ian notices Theo running behind. He stops and shootsat him.

Theo twists away, running for cover, diving behinda stoop.

UP 3RD STREET

An armored carrier emerges from the fog, cuttingoff the Fishes' escape. They stop. Ian stops shootingat Theo, running to catch up.

CORNER

The tank making the turn.

'

UP 3RD STREET

Pinched between the Carrier and the tank, Luke gestures, leadingKee and the Fishes towards the modern apartmentblock infront of them. Ian catching up.

STOOP

Theo gets up, starts running after the Fishes.

UP 3RD STREET

Soldiers climbing out of the carrier, shootingat Luke and the Fishes pushing Kee's wheelchair.

APARTMENT BLOCK

Luke, and the Fishes make it the building,hoisting the wheelchair up the few stairs, rolling herinside.

CORNER

The tank making it around. The soldiersfollow. As they get a clear shot

3RD STREET

TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT! One of Ian's men is shotin the back.

Theo halts, veering back, running towardsa burned-out double- decker, abandoned on the sidewalk acrossthe street from the apartment block. He dives throughthe back door, knocking away the cardboard.

Theo falls on top of people huddled inside. Spanish screams of fear as bodies scramble away.

Theo gets to his feet. He's just crashedinto a densely packed living quarter, makeshiftmats crammed across the bus, a burner in the middle. People crouchingfor cover, a few peering through the cardboard coveringthe windows.

He goes to one, pulling back a pieceof cardboard:

3RD STREET

Soldiers emerge from the 2nd Carrier,taking position behind its metallic bulk, starting to shoot••.

Ian and the last Fish make it to apartmentblock, bullets exploding the concrete facade, the doorway shatteringas they disappear into the darkness within.

The tank and the soldiers arrive next tothe armored carrier positioned in front of the building.

Soldiers surge from behind tank and thearmored carrier, 20 men, charging towards:

APARTMENT BLOCKDOORWAY

The soldiers run through the shattereddoorway into the building, of their footsteps receding inthe darkness••.

A MOMENT.

BLAMIBLAM! BLAM! Through the darkness,fierce flashes of gunfire. Screams.

Soldiers stagger back out of the doorway,some wounded, running in full retreat from the bulletsflying from inside.

BLAM! BLAMI The escaping soldiers aregunned down from behind. one lone soldier runs desperately,diving behind the carrier, safe.

Stray bullets strafe the bus, peoplediving to the floor. Theo keeps low, still peering outthe cardboard window.

3RD STREET

Soldiers shielded behind the tankand armored cars return fire, riddling the door. Other soldiersremove steel shields from the side of the carrier, takingpositions behind them.

APARTMENT BLOCK - 2ND FLOORWINDOW

A GRENADE comes flying out.

3RD STREET

The grenade lands in a clusterof soldiers setting up metal shields -- BAM! The soldiers areblown away.

Grenade shrapnel rips through thecardboard. A woman taking refuge in the corner is hit inthe head.

3RD STREET

The soldiersopen fire on the 2nd floor window. The big tank gunratchets up •••

Theowatches through the cardboard window.

3RD STREET

KA-BOOM. The tank recoils with the blast asthe 2nd floor window explodes, a concussive blow that rips agaping scar in the side of the building.

Theo reacts to the blast.

He shakes it off, making his way to the endof the bus. People screaming, crying, covering up. Theostepping over them, around them, getting to the front. Through the window:

3RD STREET

Soldiers fire at the 2nd floor.

From the 4th floor, white sheets and clotheswave from windows, desperate pleas for mercy fromtenants trapped in the building.

From a 5th floor window, a Fish fires down onthe soldiers. Other Fishes shoot from different windows.

Theo steps off the bus. A zone of hell --armored carriers and soldiers -- separate him from the apartmentblock. Bullets flying from all directions.

Theo runs behind the soldiers, whose attentionis focused on shooting the building to pieces, and headsto the far edge of the square in front of the apartment block,making it to:

A CONCRETE BARRICADE

Theo shields himself behind it. Across:

116 •

APARTMENT BLOCKPLAZA

The facade of the building falling to pieces. Tenants streaming out the front doors, hands in the air,screaming surrender in a dozen languages --

TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT. Soldier's gun fire cuts down thefleeing tenants. A few survivors retreat back intothe building.

The tank targets its big gun at a 4th floorwindow where shots are coming •••

KA-BOOM. The tank mortar obliterates thewindow. In the momentary silence of the aftershock•••

CONCRETE BARRICADE

Theo sucks a breath, gathers his courage,makes his break.

APARTMENT BLOCKPLAZA

Theo in the open, running toward the doorway,side-stepping the bodies of dead soldiers and tenants.

3RD STREET

The soldiers, busy with the windows, are slowin clocking Theo running from the periphery. Butthe doorway is still distant for Theo, and some soldiers aim athim, firing away.

APARTMENT BLOCKPLAZA

The bullets ricochetting and whizzingpast Theo's head and his feet, still not close to the doorway.

3RD STREET

More soldiers notice Theo, shooting at him.

APARTMENT BLOCKDOORWAY

Bullets kick up debris around Theo. The doorway getting closer, he sidesteps the bodies of soldiersand tenants.

5 steps separate him from the jagged holethat is the door. He slips on the blood-slicked cement, fallinghard, bullets ripping, fallen bodies all around, some gettingmore shots.

He crawls in panic. A final desperate lungeacross blood, glass and debris. Guardian angelsworking overtime, he crosses the threshold of the door.

Theo crawling at top speed across the darkcorridor splattered with rubble and dead bodies, bulletsechoing and ricochetting around the walls.

And now gunfire coming at him from the inside:the hook-nosed leaves his position, storming after Theo.

Theo shields himself behind pillar, the hook-nosedcoming at him, shooting.

Bullets from the outside ricochet throughthe corridor, clipping the hook-nosed man in the head. He falls dead.

Theo gasps for breath. The soldiers• attackon the doorway slowly diminishes, giving way to gunfirefrom within.

Across the corridor, he sees a man anda woman huddle behind a pillar. He slowly gets up. Cautiouslymaking his way through bodies and debris to the stairs.

At the foot of the stairs: Kee•s discardedwheelchair. Theo starts climbing.

Theo arrives at the landing, lookingdown the hallway. A few tenants huddled in the dim shadows,staying low, keeping away from the windows. A man cries in agony,splashing the puddle of his own blood. But the heavy gunfirecomes from upstairs. He continues up.

Theo gets to the floor, peering down thehallway. Tenants on the floor, covering their heads, a few wounded,screaming, some bullets make it through the apartment,crashing into the hall walls. Theo steps into:

3RD FLOORHALLWAY

He walks thr·oughthe hallway and looksinto an apartment where a gun is being shot.

Three tenants lay dead on the floor. At the window, Patric fires down at the soldiers below. Immediately, he retreats from the window, as bullets fromoutside rip through the room, rushing toward the door.

Theo retreatsto the stairway landing, hiding as --

Patric stormsout of the apartment, goes down the hall, disappearinginto another apartment. A moment. Fresh gun shots areheard. Patric runs out, soldiers bullets ripping throughthe apartment. He heads farther down the hallway.

Patrickicks open the door of another apartment.

Theonotices: the orange cut like a swan, a few steps above him, smashed. He continues up the stairs.

Theosteps into the corridor. A tank mortar has rippedopen a gapinghole in the building. People huddle inthe hallway, thewounded, the terrified, the dead.

Theowalks through the hallway, reaching the mortarhole. Soldiers'bullets scream through the opening, shatteringthe wall, spewing debris. He considers crossing beforebacking off,returning to the stairs.

Thenhe hears it.

A BABY'S CRY. A weak wail through the chaos and explosions. Coming fromthe end of the corridor. Separated bythe gaping mortar hole, where bullets crash through.

Theo edges up to the mortar-ripped hole. Sporadicbullets smashingthe wall. He sucks a breath. And runs. It'sonly ten feet,but it feels like a mile, the shots ringingpast.

He makes it to the other side. He continues down thehall. The baby's cries louder. Tenants huddled in the hallway, peering up warily, not quiet believing what they arehearing.

Loud cries, coming from an apartment. Theo steps into:

The place has been shredded by bullets, glass shattered, everythingupended. Kee in a corner, protecting herbaby girlwith her body.

Luke lays by the window in a poolof his own blood, with his back toward Kee, sniping out thewindow. In his other hand, he shouts instructions on a radio.

With Luke's distraction, Theomakes it over to Kee. The baby is visible on her chest, stillcrying.

Theo leans down to Kee, helpingher up.

Bullets from outside RIDDLE thewall near them.· Theo covers Kee with his body. The shootingpasses.

At the window, Luke responds,shooting rounds outside.

Theo and Kee making theirway across the ruined room to the door. Theo steps on glass,a cracking sound --

Luke turns and sees them. He points the gun. Theo freezes.

CONTINUED: (2)

Theo slowly keeps leadingKee to the doorway, wary of Luke, who sites himwith his pistol.

Theo andKee at the doorway.

BAM! Luke shoots. Theo recoils, hit in the gut, knocked back outthe door.

TAT-TAT-TAT. Glass shatters as guns fire from the outside, rippingLuke to pieces.

Theo clearsthe doorway. He's in momentary shock, against thewall, clutching his gut, looking at the blood oozing throughhis fingers.

Theobreathing through the pain, holing up Kee,walking down the hall,the baby still crying.

The bullets intensifying fromthe outside, tearing through the disintegrating facade,smashing into the hall walls -- all that noise numbedby the baby's cries.

People huddled in thecorridor, looking in disbelief. A woman falls to herknees.

They get closerto the stairwell. Bullets are still flying, but people seem fearless,poking their heads from doors, risking their safespots to get a closer look.

The baby's cryinggives an aura of security to Theo and Kee. They are no longerducking, walking straight down the hall.

A man breaks intotears. An old woman bleeding to death on the floorreaches her gnarled finger to touch the baby's garment. She smiles as they pass -- she has heard the song of an angel.

'l'heoandKeearrive at the stairs. Kee starts to walkdown, but Theo stopsher.

Kee allowsTheo to pick her up. He grunts withthe effort, andbegins carrying them down:

Thebaby's cry expands through the contained space. Theo carryingKee down, using the wall for support. People huddledon the stairs, looking with amazement. People peering down at them from the upper floors.

TAT-TAT-TAT. A gun battle, coming up the stairstoward them.

Patric and 2 Fishes are backing up the stairs,shooting down at pursuing soldiers below, who answer with around of fire.

Patric hears crying, turning, pointing hisgun at:

Theo and Kee, no place to hide. Patricpointing the gun at Theo's head, about to pull thetrigger. But the baby is wailing in Kee's arms. Patric lookingat the baby in stunned disbelief. Then he lowers his gun. He and the Fishes back away, staring at the baby as Theo andKee head down.

Gunfire from below forces people againstthe wall. Theo and Kee continue walking down. Heavy footsteps. A soldier surges up the stairs, pointing hisgun at the newborn girl, who wails away.

Theo and Kee walk past him. The soldier breathless, the cry conflicting with his adrenaline.

Theo continues carrying Kee down. People on the stairs standing up, getting a look. More soldiers, holding their weapons in silence, stilledby the baby's cry.

The baby cries echo through the lobby,now held by the military. Soldiers hold strategicpositions, watching Theo and Kee pass, glimpsing thechild in confusion, awe.

At the shattered doorway, Theo staggers. Kee sees his sweat, his pain. His shirt is coveredin blood.

Theo hesitates.

Theo sets Kee down on her feet. Kee walks slowly, resolutely, leaning on Theo for support. They pass through the shattered doorway.

Theo, Kee and the baby step intothe murky light of the foggy day. An impenetrable line of soldierspositioned in the plaza face them, their weaponspointed, ready. The heavy machinery of war silenced by thecries of a baby.

Theo and Kee walk forward, towardthe soldiers.

Theweapons aimed at them begin to lower. An instinctive shuffleto the side, as if commanded by the cry,creating a spacefor them to pass.

Kee carrying her child, Theo limping at her side,bleeding, asthe ocean of soldiers part like the Red Sea,allowing them to pass through. The somber faces of the soldiers,watching, touched by the baby's crying.

BAM! BAM! BAM! Rifle shots from the 4th floorwindow shatter the silence. Two soldiers behind Theo are hit.

Theo covers Kee as soldiers open fire atthe apartment block. From the windows, guns fire back.

A new battle flares. Theo and Kee walk,ignored by the soldiers that surge forward, takingnew positions.

KA-BOOM. The tank blasts a massive holein the 4th floor.

CORNER - WHARF & 3RD

Leaving the battle behind, Kee and Theowalking down the street, Theo limping badly. Marichka surgesfrom the corner, holding Santo, greeting them with abad-toothed sm:ile. The Sewer Rat by her side.

The Sewer Rat pulling off a sewer lid,Theo grunting as he helps get it off the rest of theway. Theo kneeling there, gasping, his face drained. The babystill crying.

A ceiling lamp illuminates a concretesewer drain, a narrow channel of foul water running throughit. Boxes of contraband stacked to one side: alcohol, batteries,medicine, cans of food, electrical wire. Marichka givingsome bills to the Sewer Rat.

Theo sitting in a BOAT, a simplewooden launch with two paddles, moored with a rope to theside. He's in bad shape. He helps Kee accommodate herself inback. She's holding a candle.

Marichka comes to them, prattlingon, Santo on her shoulders, gesturing toward the end of thetunnel where ambient light filters in.

Theo extends his hand to help Marichka intothe launch.

Marichka counts off a few bills for herself,handing the rest of the wad to Theo.

Marichka smiles. She pushes the launchinto motion.

Theo starts to row. Kee holding thecandle, she puts the baby on her breast. The baby quiets,feeding. Glimpses of graffiti on the walls like cave paintings.

Marichka receding in darkness, holdingSanto, waving at them.

AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

A breeze from outside extinguishesthe candle. Theo rows toward the light. Passing througha metal grate that has been cut away.

The launch emerges into the fog,distant sounds of the riot filtering through. A barbed-wirefence running the length shoreline separates them fromBexhill.

They ride the drainage channelthat feeds a short distance into the sea.

The launch coming out of thechannel, meeting the sea, Theo rowing in pain. The fog obscuringthe riot in the city. Dead calm, but the tide is ontheir side.

What lays beyond obscuredby milky fog.

Theo rowing, slowing slightly,strength waning. The fog has enveloped the city behindthem, the riots a distant echo. The world around them hasdisappeared.

Ahead of them, the fog givesway, opening into sunlight. Revealing the rhythmic flashingof a BUOY.

Theo rows oncemore, groaning with the effort.

The launch gainsmomentwn, then slows. The sun now visible, touching the horizon,the day ending.

Kee is alert,looking around, the buoy rocking rhythmically, splashingwater. Theo stops rowing, tears in his eyes.

Theo shakeshis head, eyes wet. He knows.

Kee looksat him.

Theo smilesat her.

CONTINUED: (2 )

Theo's coat opens,revealing a nasty gut wound.

The boat drifting.

Theo in pain, genuinelysmiles.

Theo musters all he'sgot left, reaching the oars back, wood cutting throughwater, grunting his last breath, propelling the launch a little farther.

And that's it.

Theo's body slumps asthe launch loses momentum. And slows. No direction. Drifting. Kee's eyes fill with tears.

No response.

CONTINUED: ( 3 )

The water slaps at the edges of the launch. The sun spewing a final burst of color as it disappearsbehind the horizon, the day ending.

Behind the buoy

A BOAT. Cutting through thewater towards them.

But Theo doesn't move.

The wooden vessel approaching, netsand gear -- A FISHING BOAT. The name painted on the stern. "THE TOMORROW".